Safety and effectiveness of intensive treatment for complex PTSD delivered via home-based telehealth
Background: Home-based psychotherapy delivered via telehealth has not been investigated in the context of intensive trauma-focused treatment for individuals with severe or Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Objective: To examine the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of an intensive tr...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1860346 |
| _version_ | 1797844507445690368 |
|---|---|
| author | Hannelies Bongaerts Eline M. Voorendonk Agnes van Minnen Ad de Jongh |
| author_facet | Hannelies Bongaerts Eline M. Voorendonk Agnes van Minnen Ad de Jongh |
| author_sort | Hannelies Bongaerts |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Home-based psychotherapy delivered via telehealth has not been investigated in the context of intensive trauma-focused treatment for individuals with severe or Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Objective: To examine the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of an intensive treatment programme containing prolonged exposure, EMDR therapy, physical activities and psycho-education, delivered via home-based telehealth. Method: The treatment was carried out within four consecutive days during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample consisted of six (four female) patients suffering from severe or Complex PTSD resulting from exposure to multiple traumatic events, mostly during early childhood. Four of them fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of complex PTSD. Outcome measures were the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5), the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ). Results: CAPS-5 and PCL-5 scores decreased significantly from pre- to post-treatment (Cohen’s ds 1.04 and 0.93), and from post-treatment to follow-up (Cohen’s ds 0.92 and 1.24). Four of the six patients lost their PTSD or Complex PTSD diagnostic status. No patient dropped out, no personal adverse events and no reliable symptom worsening occurred. Conclusions: The results suggest that intensive, trauma-focused treatment of severe or Complex PTSD delivered via home-based telehealth is feasible, safe and effective, and can be a viable alternative to face-to-face delivered intensive trauma-focused treatment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-11e9f8a9e4974d9a867c57cf24a684c6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:32Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-11e9f8a9e4974d9a867c57cf24a684c62023-04-18T14:59:09ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662021-01-0112110.1080/20008198.2020.18603461860346Safety and effectiveness of intensive treatment for complex PTSD delivered via home-based telehealthHannelies Bongaerts0Eline M. Voorendonk1Agnes van Minnen2Ad de Jongh3PSYTRECPSYTRECPSYTRECPSYTRECBackground: Home-based psychotherapy delivered via telehealth has not been investigated in the context of intensive trauma-focused treatment for individuals with severe or Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Objective: To examine the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of an intensive treatment programme containing prolonged exposure, EMDR therapy, physical activities and psycho-education, delivered via home-based telehealth. Method: The treatment was carried out within four consecutive days during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample consisted of six (four female) patients suffering from severe or Complex PTSD resulting from exposure to multiple traumatic events, mostly during early childhood. Four of them fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of complex PTSD. Outcome measures were the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5), the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ). Results: CAPS-5 and PCL-5 scores decreased significantly from pre- to post-treatment (Cohen’s ds 1.04 and 0.93), and from post-treatment to follow-up (Cohen’s ds 0.92 and 1.24). Four of the six patients lost their PTSD or Complex PTSD diagnostic status. No patient dropped out, no personal adverse events and no reliable symptom worsening occurred. Conclusions: The results suggest that intensive, trauma-focused treatment of severe or Complex PTSD delivered via home-based telehealth is feasible, safe and effective, and can be a viable alternative to face-to-face delivered intensive trauma-focused treatment.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1860346complex ptsdvideoconferencingonline intensive trauma-focused treatmentcovid-19home-based telehealth |
| spellingShingle | Hannelies Bongaerts Eline M. Voorendonk Agnes van Minnen Ad de Jongh Safety and effectiveness of intensive treatment for complex PTSD delivered via home-based telehealth European Journal of Psychotraumatology complex ptsd videoconferencing online intensive trauma-focused treatment covid-19 home-based telehealth |
| title | Safety and effectiveness of intensive treatment for complex PTSD delivered via home-based telehealth |
| title_full | Safety and effectiveness of intensive treatment for complex PTSD delivered via home-based telehealth |
| title_fullStr | Safety and effectiveness of intensive treatment for complex PTSD delivered via home-based telehealth |
| title_full_unstemmed | Safety and effectiveness of intensive treatment for complex PTSD delivered via home-based telehealth |
| title_short | Safety and effectiveness of intensive treatment for complex PTSD delivered via home-based telehealth |
| title_sort | safety and effectiveness of intensive treatment for complex ptsd delivered via home based telehealth |
| topic | complex ptsd videoconferencing online intensive trauma-focused treatment covid-19 home-based telehealth |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1860346 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hanneliesbongaerts safetyandeffectivenessofintensivetreatmentforcomplexptsddeliveredviahomebasedtelehealth AT elinemvoorendonk safetyandeffectivenessofintensivetreatmentforcomplexptsddeliveredviahomebasedtelehealth AT agnesvanminnen safetyandeffectivenessofintensivetreatmentforcomplexptsddeliveredviahomebasedtelehealth AT addejongh safetyandeffectivenessofintensivetreatmentforcomplexptsddeliveredviahomebasedtelehealth |